Bottle cap



May 11, 1937. s. A. ERASTOFF BOTTLE CAP Filed April 1, 1936 INVENT on fRASTOFF 1 II I! Illlll I Sees/us A BY i A ORNEY.

Patented May 11, 1937 PATENT OFFIQE BOTTLE CIAP Sergius A. Erastoff,

San Francisco, Calif.

Application April 1 1936, Serial No. 72,1172

12 Claims.

The present invention. relates, to mprovements in; bottle caps and has, particular reference to a screwcap, The principal objectof the invention totprpvide means in connection with a screw cap whereby the unscrewing of the cap is facilitated, While Irefer in-this specification to a bottle cap-it is obvious that the principle involved applies to thescrew cap generally whether used in connection with a, bottle or tin can or any other container;

Wh re-a scr w cap is used. a lin r or wash is usually interposed between the top of the bottle and the cap and, the; latter'is screwed down so tightly that, it isirnpossible to unscrew the can by handbecausethefrictional resistance between the cap, the liner andthe top, of the bottle neck is so intense that it cannot be overcome by the strength of the fingers.

Itis proposed in the present invention to provide means for easing and relieving thefrictional resistance or pressure exerted by a tightly screwed capso -that the capmay thereafter be unscrewed W thout any difii ult Further objects and advantages of my invention, will appear as the specification proceeds.

preferred form of my invention is illustrat di n the a ompany ng drawi in which Figure 1 shows atop plan view of one form of my nvention llustrating hc nrin pl of n,

Eigurez'aside elevation of thiscap applied to a bottleneck, abortion being shown in section,

E sur 3a p plan view. of ano h r f rm of my an,

Figure. 4 a side-elevation of the latter can as pplied o a o l neck. a portion being how ri cct t Figurefi a'dcta-il View in plan of a spider-shaped disousedn onnection with the latt an, and

Figure d a side elevation of another modif cation of. my cap. as applied to a, bottle neck, a portionof the capbeing shown in section.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of-rny invention I wish to have it understood that variouschanges or modifications may be made withinthe. scope of the claims hereto attached \iritho-ut departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail. and particularly to the form illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, it; willbe noted that my cap I is formed with a threaded flange 2'. adapted to be screwed down upon the threaded neck of the bottle 3 the upper portion-0f which only is shown in the draw ing; The top; 4: of the flange, which projects above 55: the bottle neck, is turnedupon itself as shown at 5 and is joined, at its lower end, by afiat rim 6 which, latter connects with a raised central portion 1 through a frusto-conical section 8. The rim 6, the raised section I and the frusto-conical section! 8 form the top of the bottle cap.

The rim 6 is formed with a plurality of perforations 9 and the frusto-conical section is also formed with a series of perforations [0, the latter perforations being arranged in staggered relation to the former as clearly appears from Figure 1. The perforations I!) have inwardly extending flanges or burrs l l for reinforcing the edges thereof.

The bottom edge of the flange 2 is preferably curled upon itself as shown at l2.

A liner I3 is interposed between the top of the bottle neck and the cap and this liner is of conventional construction, having preferably a soft upper face and a glazed. bottom face.

When this capis screwed down tightly upon the liner and" upon the bottle neck, the rim 6 lies flat upon the liner and presses the liner upon the top of the bottle neck, and the pressure of the rim upon the liner and ofthe liner upon the bottle neck is so intense that it is impossible to unscrew the cap by hand and to overcome the frictional resistance offered by the tight engagement.

But in my invention the frictional resistance is eliminated by a very simple operation. The operator takes a simple prying tool, such asan ice pick, inserts the point thereof into one of the perforations in, then bears down on the tool and using the upper edge 4 of the flange 2 as a fulcrum, exerts a lifting eifect on the frusto-conical section 8 of the top of the. cap whereby an adja-' cent section of the rim 6 is lifted away from the liner l3- and made to assume a slightly inclined position. This operation is repeated with respect to each of the perforations it] until the entire rim Bis lifted away from the liner l3 and. 40 the pressure is relieved. Now the cap may be unscrewed without any effort.

The perforations 9 in the rim facilitate the prying operation. Being arranged in staggered relation to the perforations ID in the rim they tend to naturally divide the rim into a number of triangular sections corresponding to the number of the perforations Ill and in compensating for the stresses set up in the material by the prying operations. The burrs II on the perforations I8 reinforce the edges of theperforations and prevent tearing of the metal.

In the form shown in Figures 3 to 5 a two-piece cap isused, The outer piece i4 comprises an annular threaded flange I5 adapted for thread.

ing on the bottle neck l6 and having a top section I! rising from the threaded portion. This top section is joined by an inwardly extending ring l8 and the inner edge of the ring is rolled as at IQ for reinforcing the same. The ring opening is of considerable size, preferably about the same size as the bottle neck opening.

In connection with the outer piece of the cap I use a spider-shaped disc 29 shown in detail in Figure 5. The disc comprises a slightly raised inner section 2|, a plurality of arms 22 projecting radially therefrom and arranged at a slight angularity so as to lie in a frusto-conical plane and peripheral segments 23 projecting from the outer ends of the arms, the segments being arranged to lie in a flat plane parallel to the plane of the central section and to form a ring, except for the slight spacing between the same.

The size of the disc is such that it fits inside of the outer cap and the ring formed by the segments is substantially coextensive with the ring I 8 of the outer cap and the thickness of the bottle neck material, as shown in Figure 4. The segments are uniformly indented to provide an. annular ridge 24 which is preferably disposed directly underneath the rolled edge E9 of the outer cap ring l8. The liner I3 is used in the same Way as previously described.

In using this form the disc is placed inside the outer cap and both are screwed down upon the liner and the bottle neck. To facilitate unscrewing the operator inserts his prying tool, such as an ice pick, between any two arms of the spider and. bears down on the outer end of the tool, using the rolled edge 19 for a fulcrum, whereby the central portion of the spider-disc is raised and the two adjacent arms are drawn toward the center with the result that the segments attached to the arms are drawn from underneath the ring l8 of the outer cap. This operation is repeated until the entire disc is freed and removed from the outer piece of the cap. The latter may now be unscrewed without any difliculty.

Particular attention is called to the annular ridge 24 which performs an important function. The metal of the disc has to be relatively thin and flexible to allow of the operation described and if the ridge were omitted and the outer cap screwed down tightly upon the spider-disc, the removal of the disc would not provide enough clearance to have a perceptible effect in relieving the pressure and the frictional resistance. The ridge increases the distance between the outer cap and the liner and consequently gives greater clearance when removed.

The rolled edge IQ of the outer cap is also of considerable importance since it reinforces the fulcrum on which the lifting tool turns.

The form shown in Figure 6 is similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 and comprises a single piece cap having the threaded flange 2, the top section 4' rising therefrom which is bent upon itself as at 5' and then bent inwardly to form the flat rim 6'. But the raised central portion is constructed differently and comprises a cylindrical section 25 which is covered by a flat section 26 joined thereto in such a manner as to form an overhang 27. In this case the tool is lfulcrumed on the top 4 of the flange and its end is placed underneath the overhang so that the latter may be raised and cause the flat rim 6 to be lifted from the liner.

I claim:

1. In combination, a bottle neck having a thread thereon, a liner for covering the bottle neck, a cap adapted for screwing on the bottle neck and having-a top including a rim section bearing on the rim of the liner for firmly pressing the same upon the bottle neck when the cap is screwed tight, the cap having a raised central section with perforations permitting a prying tool to exert a centerwise lifting pull on the rim section for relieving the pressure of the latter whereby the unscrewing of the cap is facilitated.

2. In combination, a bottle neck having a thread thereon, a liner for covering the bottle neck, a cap adapted for screwing on the bottle neck and having a top including a rim section bearing on the rim of the liner for firmly pressing the same upon the bottle neck when the cap is screwed tight, the cap being shaped to permit a prying tool to exert a centerwise lifting pull on the rim section for relieving the pressure of the latter whereby the unscrewing of the cap is facilitated.

3. A bottle cap comprising a top including a rim section and a threaded flange, the top being shaped to permit a prying tool to be applied for exerting centerwise lifting pull on the rim section.

4. A bottie cap comprising a top, a downwardly projecting threaded flange, an upwardly projecting flange and a raised central section with perforations therein permitting a prying tool to be inserted in the perforations and to be tilted about the upward flange for exerting lifting pull on the rim of the top.

5. A bottle cap comprising a top having a rim section and spaced holes therein, a downwardly projecting threaded flange, an upwardly projecting flange forming a continuation of the former flange and a raised central portion having holes therein arranged to permit a prying tool to be inserted therein and to be tilted about the upward flange for exerting lifting pull on the rim section.

6. A bottle cap comprising a top having a rim section and spaced holes therein, a downwardly projecting threaded flange, an upwardly projecting flange forming a continuation of the former flange and a raised central portion having holes therein arranged to permit a prying tool to be inserted therein and to be tilted about the upward flange for exerting pull on the rim section, the holes of the rim section being arranged in staggered relation to those of the central section.

7. A bottle cap comprising a ring having a threaded flange depending from the outer edge thereof and a spider inside of the flange having rim sections disposed underneath the ring.

8. A bottle cap comprising a ring having a threaded flange depending from the outer edge thereof and a spider inside of the flange having rim sections underneath the ring, the rim sections having indentations below the ring.

9. A bottle cap comprising a ring having a threaded flange depending from the outer edge thereof and a spider inside of the flange having rim sections underneath the ring, the rim sections having indentations below the ring and the ring having an inner bead to support a prying tool.

10. A bottle cap comprising a ring having a threaded flange depending from the outer edge thereof and a spider inside of the flange having rim sections disposed underneath the ring, the latter having an inner bead to support a' prying tool.

11. A bottle cap comprising a fiat ring having a flange arising from the outer edge and a threaded flange depending from the same edge and a central structure on the ring having an threaded flange depending from the same edge overhang allowing aprying tool to catch thereand a flange rising from the inner edge having under and to raise the same and an adjacent ring an overhang allowing a prying tool to catch theresection by using the first flange as a fulcrum. under and to raise the same and an adjacent 5 12. A bottle cap comprising a flat ring having ring section by using the first flange as a fulcrum. 5

a flange rising from the outer edge and a SERGIUS A. ERASTOFF. 

